


All Roads Lead to Rome

by msraven



Series: All Roads [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Unusuals
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Crossover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-20
Updated: 2012-10-05
Packaged: 2017-11-14 17:05:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/517546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msraven/pseuds/msraven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Jason Walsh fell in love with Phil Coulson and became Clint Barton.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Contains spoilers/references to both The Avengers and The Unusuals.
> 
> I've been watching The Unusuals and it gave birth to this. You might want to have watched the show to get the references, but not 100% necessary. 
> 
> Set post-movie and several years after the end of the tv series. Clint Barton/Hawkeye doesn't exist, but the rest of the characters are essentially intact on both sides.

_Not all those who wander are lost. -- J.R.R. Tolkien_

Agent Phil Coulson was standing in a conference room at SHIELD's DC offices with Director Fury, AD Hill, and Jasper Sitwell. Arrayed on the table in front of them were folders arranged in 10 neat piles, all labeled by the analysts who had dropped them off earlier: New York, Boston, Norfolk, Charleston, New Orleans, Houston, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Nearly every major US shipping port. The senior agents knew this was big, but it was a question of whether this fell under SHIELD's or possibly even the Avengers' jurisdiction.

"Do we know for sure it's Hydra?" Phil asked.

"We found the information scattered in three separate Hydra bases," Hill responded.

Sitwell started idly flipping through the New York files in front of him. "Hydra's never been interested in organized crime before."

"They've been know to use it to their advantage," Phil pointed out. "But mostly for low-level, grunt work."

"We can't ignore the specific cities they're targeting," said Maria.

They all waited as Fury continued to think silently at the end of the table.

"Whatever they're doing in New York," offered Sitwell as he continued to glance through the file, "it's not grunt work. Looks like they're trying to take over. Even targeting folks high up in the NYPD to corrupt, starting with an Eddie Alvarez."

That name had Phil glancing over. "It'd never happen." 

Eddie Alvarez, for all his faults, was a good cop. He'd risen through the NYPD ranks over the years, but still called Walsh once or twice a week, including the one time Phil and Jason had managed to go on a short vacation together. Jason had shrugged it off when Phil had asked, but it didn't take much for the agent to figure it out. Jason was, in a way, Eddie's conscience. If there was anyone who could resist corruption, it was Walsh and, by extension, Alvarez. 

"Alright," came Fury's voice. "We keep this one. Let's get some agents -"

"Oh crap!" Three sets of amazed eyes swung to Sitwell at his exclamation, which the agent ignored. Instead he threw a piece of paper towards Phil. He had a second to be amused that even secret, evil organizations ran on paperwork before he got a good look at the form. It was a kill order for NYPD Detective Jason Walsh, stamped approved, and with today as the target completion date. Phil's blood ran cold. 

He didn't realize that Fury had walked around the table until he started barking orders. "Sitwell - get a Quinjet ready for wheels up in five minutes. Hill - see if you can get a hold of Stark or the Cap. Phil - we need to know where he is."

The last was said as Fury all but shoved Phil out the door. He ran behind Sitwell automatically as he fished out his personal cell phone. No reception within HQ. _Damn it!_ Phil quickly dialed the number on his SHIELD phone and cursed out loud when it immediately went to voicemail. Jason never answered unknown callers. They were in the Quinjet and in the air before Phil could patch his phone into the comm system to make the call. 

"Walsh." Phil's shoulders sagged with relief when he heard Jason's voice followed by several other voices coming through the line. Jason was in a crowd. And then the date finally dawned on Phil. October 11th, a week before Jason's birthday.

"The Apolo," Phil told Sitwell. "He's at the Apolo Restaurant in Manhattan." 

"What? Phil, is that you?" came Jason's voice through the phone. "Hang on. Let me step outside so I can hear you."

"Not outside. No, Jason-" Phil called out, but he could already hear Walsh pull the phone away from his ear followed by the sound of his brushing by his fellow officers.

"Iron Man en route, ETA 8 minutes," reported Sitwell.

"Phil? You there?" asked Jason and Phil could hear the sound of passing cars.

"Detective Walsh," Phil started and knew it would get Jason's attention. "We have seen a credible threat against you, so you need to get off the main street and to a secure location. We have SHIELD teams and Iron Man headed to your location."

Phil could hear movement as Jason started to move without question. _Good boy._

Sitwell brought up an image from one of the many cameras SHIELD had hidden in the city and Phil could see Jason walking briskly away from restaurant, making sure to stay within the shadows of the buildings. 

"Oh shit! The delivery van. No, no, no!" Jason suddenly cried and Phil watched as the figure on the screen stopped, turned, and sprinted back toward the restaurant.

"What?! Jason! Walsh, talk to me!" Phil yelled back. He watched in horror as Jason got within a few yards of the restaurant before the whole building exploded and flung him out onto the street. Then the image went black.

"I need eyes back on the scene," Phil ordered. "Iron Man, can you relay your long range cameras?"

The picture quality wasn't great with most of the screen filled with smoke and fire from the burning restaurant, but there was definitely something moving in the street. JARVIS zoomed further on the image at Tony's command and Phil saw a grainy, but alive Jason struggling to his feet.

Miraculously, his groan came across the comm. "What the fuck was that?" The phone, one of Stark's newest models (a gift from Phil), was clutched in Jason's hand and still functional. _Thank God for genius billionaires._

"Walsh!" Phil yelled even though he knew Jason's ears were probably still ringing from the blast. He was rewarded by Jason bringing the phone to his ear anyway.

"Phil? You still there?" the detective asked.

Before Phil could answer, there was a loud screech of tires and Jason turned to look at the black SUV that pulled up.

"That's not one of ours," Sitwell warned.

"Shit!" Jason cried and dropped the phone as he saw two men emerge from the vehicle. 

There was a blur on the screen as JARVIS zoomed back out and Iron Man increased his speed. The sound of gunfire echoed through the comm. The image on the screen cleared and Phil could see that one of the two men who had jumped out the SUV was already down on the ground. The other was fiddling with his, apparently jammed gun and Jason, who had taken cover behind a burning car, leapt up to slam the guy against the vehicle. They struggled for a bit before Jason was able to wrench the gun away and use the butt to knock the other man unconscious. He then managed to unjam the gun, turn, and fire as Iron Man landed behind him. The bullet bounced uselessly against the protected arc reactor.

"Whoa!" Tony said and raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "I'm on your side."

They both turned as another SUV came roaring down the street toward them.

"Still not ours," came the call from Sitwell. "Where the hell are these guys coming from?"

Iron Man fired at Sitwell's first comment and sent the SUV flying end-over-end back down the street.

"Get him out of there, Stark," ordered Phil calmly, unable to keep a little of his desperation from creeping into his voice. 

"Time to blow this pop stand," said Tony and held a hand out to the detective.

"Yeah, let's." Phil heard through Iron Man's comm. Jason dropped the gun, took three shaky steps forward, and collapsed into Stark's arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to the beginning...

_===== Two years earlier =====_

Detective Jason Walsh sprinted down the sidewalk after the two men who had just shot two NYPD officers. He had no idea how this all started, but he would be damned if he'd let them get away. Jason had the advantage of this not being his first foot chase along the streets of New York. He gained ground as the two continued to bump into other people and saw his opportunity when the two ran around a corner. Walsh cut the corner and jumped into the air, tackling both perps to the ground. 

One guy was knocked out when his head hit the pavement, but the other one scrambled up quickly and Jason just managed to follow suit to knock the gun out of his hand. He dodged a kick aimed at his head and realized that, whoever this guy was, he was well trained. Walsh spared a moment to be thankful he'd learned something from dating a second degree black belt before he was busy dodging punches and kicks, effectively giving back as much in return. The perp got in a lucky hit across Jason's cheek and used the distraction to make a run for it. Walsh pulled out his gun and shot the guy in the leg. 

"Walsh!" his partner, Casey, yelled as she rounded the corner. 

Jason motioned to the guy that was still unconscious. "Cuff him," he instructed and kept his gun trained on the other perp who was now clutching at his leg in pain. He walked over and smirked when the guy glared up at him. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you…"

The detective trailed off as a fleet of dark SUVs came onto the scene. Anyone who'd been in New York during the alien invasion six months ago would recognize the symbol on the side of the vehicles. Jason stepped back and holstered his gun as one of the agents approached him, while another group grabbed the guy on the ground.

"We'll take over from here, Detective…" 

"Walsh, Jason Walsh of the 2nd," he responded and held out a hand. The agent shook it firmly and Jason couldn't help but appreciate how well the older man filled out his suit. _Jesus, he'd been out of the game too long_.

"Agent Phil Coulson of the Strategic Homeland -"

"Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. Yeah, yeah." Jason cut to the chase. He wasn't about to have a jurisdiction pissing match with the guys who had saved New York from a nuke. "These guys shot two police officers. I just need to know you're not going to let them back out on the streets when you're done with them."

There was a ghost of a smile on the agent's lips as he nodded. "Understood, Detective Walsh. I can guarantee they'll see the inside of a cell for the appropriate amount of time. Here's my card if you need to assure yourself later."

Jason took the card, gave a nod of his own, and then turned to walk back to the car. Casey fell into step beside him with a grin. "He was totally checking you out."

Walsh shook his head and kept walking. Shraeger had been trying to set him up since Allison had left and ignoring her had proven to be the best tactic. Besides, he highly doubted he'd made any impression on the put-together SHIELD agent.

He was proven wrong two nights later when Agent Coulson walked into his diner. 

"Agent Coulson, what can I do for you?" Jason asked as he finished tying on his apron.

The agent looked around with undisguised curiosity and moved to sit on the second stool before Walsh stopped him.

"Uh...not there, please," Jason said while he motioned to the next stool over. Coulson didn't bat an eye at the request. He sat down and put a folder on the counter.

"I have a proposition for you, Detective Walsh." Jason didn't even try to stop the smirk at how that sounded and nearly laughed when the agent's eyes widened slightly. He had a feeling this guy was not normally easy to frazzle. 

" _SHIELD_ has a proposition for you," the agent corrected. "We'd like to extend an offer for you to join SHIELD."

It was Jason's turn to be surprised. "Why me?"

"Detective Jason Alan Walsh." Coulson opened the folder, but didn't read from it. "Born and raised in Brooklyn. Attended NYU on a baseball scholarship and received a degree in Economics. Played for the Yankee's minor league team until you were called up to the majors. There for two seasons before leaving and attending the Police Academy. Worked your way up quickly and still hold the record for making detective in the shortest amount of time. Bounced around a few precincts before settling in the 2nd six years ago. You have one of the best arrest records in the NYPD, but have resisted every CO position offered you. You've been partners with Detective Casey Shraeger for almost three years since the murder of your last partner and you recently ended a two year relationship with Detective Allison Beaumont when she moved to Louisiana."

Jason raised an eyebrow at that. "That file also tell you I'm a switch hitter?" he asked with a suggestive twist to his lips and there was that ghost of a smile again. "You know there are laws against stalking." 

"We are aware," replied Coulson blandly.

Jason chuckled and leaned his hip against the back counter. "There's nothing you said that answers my question. So I'm a good cop."

"You're a _great_ cop," Coulson clarified. "But more than that, Detective Walsh, you're a good man and that's something SHIELD needs right now."

Jason shook his head. If everything was really in that file, then SHIELD had to know he was far from being a good man.

"Our past is just our past," the agent continued, correctly reading Jason's mind. "It's our actions in spite of it that define us, detective. You've done a lot of good and I...we think you could do even more with SHIELD."

"I appreciate that you think so," Jason conceded. "But if SHIELD's anything like I imagine it to be, I'd be an average agent at best, mediocre at worst. You can do better and I think I can do the most good where I am."

"I think you're underestimating your capabilities."

"And I think you're a little desperate right now." Jason watched as the agent's eyes clouded over for a second and hated himself for putting the shadow there. There had been heavy losses suffered all around during the invasion, but SHIELD had seen the highest number of casualties. Walsh knew better than to point that out.

"That was low, I'm sorry," Jason apologized. "You're entitled to your opinion and I appreciate the offer, but I'm happy where I am."

The two men looked at each other for another moment before the agent nodded. "I can respect that. The offer stands if you ever change your mind. Thank you for your time."

Coulson started to rise and Jason realized that he didn't want to see the agent go just yet. He couldn't help but notice that his well tailored suit hung a little loosely and hadn't forgotten the man's reaction to Jason's earlier comment. Phil Coulson looked like he could use someone to look after him for a change. Plus Jason had a soft spot for good looking law enforcement with tough exteriors.

"You don't have to go," Jason offered as he straightened away from the counter. "I was just about to make dinner and have plenty for two. Consider it a consolation for coming all the way out here for nothing."

Coulson hesitated and Jason tried to look nonchalant about his decision. He grinned when the older man sank back down. "That sounds great, actually."

"You allergic to dairy? Not one of those vegetarians are you?" Jason asked as he turned to grab ingredients for Beef Stroganoff out of the pantry and refrigerator in the back.

"No to both."

Most people wouldn't believe it, but Jason actually _could_ cook and very well. He just chose not to for most people because it was more interesting to see their reactions to one of Jason's strange concoctions than a good meal. He figured he had nothing to lose by actually cooking for Coulson since he would probably never see the SHIELD agent again after tonight. 

Thinking back on it later, Jason could only be thankful for being very wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who haven't seen The Unusuals.
> 
> Jason Walsh rents out the back of a small diner, which he opens only when he feels like it. (Rent's cheap.) On the show, he's a very bad cook - pretzels in omelets, Skittles reduction, etc. The stool reference is from Ep. 5, "42" when someone sits in that stool and eventually tries to shoot Walsh.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guy gets nearly blown up, takes a bullet in the gut, but still manages to wrestle a rifle away from a Hyrda goon and then try to shoot me? No wonder you're in love with him, Coulson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse any medical inaccuracies.

===== Present Day =====

Phil hated SHIELD medical. He'd spent too much time in there recovering after Loki. Not that he wasn't supremely grateful for the medical technology that had healed the gaping chest wound in less than a week, but any time spent laying in a hospital bed unable to do anything more than breathe was a second too long.

Waiting outside medical for news on Jason was, in Phil's opinion, a hundred times worse. He knew he was barely holding himself together, knew that he was alarming everyone with his non-Coulson behavior. But all he could see, all he could think about, was the image of Jason's too-still face as Iron Man had raced him to HQ. He closed his eyes and tried to lose himself in happier memories. 

By the time the Quinjet had landed at HQ, the doctors had already whisked Jason into surgery. So far, nobody had taken the time to appraise Phil of exactly what was wrong with the detective. The only person he'd seen was Stark, who had kept unusually quiet after Coulson's haggard and sincere "thank you." The rest of the Avengers had now arrived to sit vigil with Phil. It didn't matter that none of them had ever met the man currently in surgery. He was important to Phil and they were all a little disturbed by how frayed their ever-unflappable liaison looked. 

Coulson was sitting hunched over his knees, hands gripped together with white knuckles against his lips. He hadn't said a word when everyone had arrived, clearly lost in his own thoughts, even after Natasha started rubbing soothing circles on his back. She didn't comment on the fact that Coulson was shaking beneath her hand. 

They were all prepared to wait it out quietly with Phil, lending what support they could, until the agent had suddenly whispered a choked, "for as long as life gives us" and seemed to collapse inwardly on himself. Thor sat down heavily on Phil's other side and added his own hand to the man's shoulder as if he could stave off any further collapse. Tony and Natasha both looked up at Steve in alarm and Steve turned to Bruce with a silent command. Bruce stood and walked off without question.

The scientist came back ten minutes later, crouched directly in front of Coulson, and quietly said his name. Bruce had to clench his own hands at the fear reflected in the other man's eyes and inwardly cursed the doctors for ignoring them for so long. 

"He has several lacerations from the blast, the worst was a fairly deep gash in his left thigh, but the doctor's don't think it will impact him regaining full mobility. He has a concussion, cracked ribs, and a heavily bruised shoulder from hitting the pavement. The surgery was to dig out a bullet that was lodged near one his kidneys, but the doctors were able to stop all the bleeding and the Treatment should take care of mending the rest."

"Wait," interrupted Tony with quiet amazement. "The guy gets nearly blown up, takes a bullet in the gut, but still manages to wrestle a rifle away from a Hyrda goon and then try to shoot me? No wonder you're in love with him, Coulson."

"You should know by now not to be surprised when people try and shoot you, Tony," responded Steve. There was a reprimand in his voice, but it was only a small one since the exchange had left Coulson looking a little more like himself.

"They're closing him up now," continued Bruce. "He should be out of post-op in about an hour and you'll be allowed to sit with him."

Agent Coulson took a shuddering breath and sat up in his seat. Everyone in the room relaxed as they saw him visibly pull himself back together. Thor and Natasha's hands fell of his shoulders and Phil gave each Avenger a small, grateful smile.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner," Coulson said, voice only a little hoarser than normal.

The door creaked as Fury entered the room and everyone but Coulson stood, automatically forming a barrier between the agent and the SHIELD director. Fury pointedly ignored them all.

"Agent Coulson, we need to talk."

"Directory Fury, I really don't think this is the time -" Steve started to protest, but was cut off when Coulson spoke.

"It's okay Steve," Phil said as he stood. "Better now than after Jason's out of surgery." 

"Are you sure?" asked Bruce.

"Yes, thank you." Phil looked around at the gathered team. "I appreciate your support, but I think you should all head back to the Tower. Someone will be by tomorrow to debrief you on the whole situation."

Thor and Tony looked ready to complain, but a look from their liaison quelled it quickly and the Avengers started to file out of the room. Natasha paused to give Phil a quick hug.

"I know this isn't the best situation, but I really would like to finally meet him," she requested. 

"I know," Phil sighed. "It's just…"

"I understand," Natasha said with a smile. "Sometimes it hard to trust others with something precious. But it's clear that he's important to you and I thought you knew we were more than just a team, Phil. We're family." 

"I do know that, Natasha. And I promise I won't keep him to myself after this."

Phil waited until after the assassin had left the room before he sat back down. Fury raised his eyebrow at the move.

"I said we could talk, Nick," Phil said with a shake of his head. "I didn't say I was leaving."

Coulson fought a feeling of dread as Fury sat on the chair next to him. He knew this discussion would impact the rest of their lives and Phil could only hope that Jason wouldn't end up hating him for it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One thing that almost dying forced you to do was be completely honest with yourself. And the honest truth was that Phil Coulson was a coward. Not in the field - he'd faced down a god, thank you very much. But it was clear that Phil's near-stupid levels of bravery did not extend into his personal life.

_===== A year and 11 months ago =====_

One thing that almost dying forced you to do was be completely honest with yourself. And the honest truth was that Phil Coulson was a coward. Not in the field - he'd faced down a god, thank you very much. But it was clear that Phil's near-stupid levels of bravery did not extend into his personal life. If it had, he wouldn't have let the last four weeks pass without contacting Jason Walsh and there was a chance he wouldn't have been dateless for another one of Tony Stark's fundraising galas. 

Phil had nobody to blame but himself. The conversation over dinner had been more comfortable than he'd expected. They had flowed from one topic to the next without any awkwardness. Dates with civilians typically didn't work because they never understood the difference between having a job and _being_ the job. Talking to Jason had been like talking to another agent, but without the baggage or history. Jason hadn't been overly blatant, but he also hadn't attempted to hide his interest in Phil outside of their friendly dinner. Phil had left (well after midnight) knowing that Jason's non-birthday celebration would be at the Apolo on Friday and that the detective had all Saturday off from work. The ball had been firmly placed in Phil's court.

Phil, the coward that he was, had volunteered for a small mission that took him out of town over that weekend. He'd hidden behind paperwork and more minor missions in the weeks that followed. By the week of Stark's party, Phil had reasoned to himself that four weeks of no communication had been too long to recover from.

What Phil hadn't expected was to see the man in question striding with purpose through the assembled crowd. Phil had been standing against one of the upper balcony railings when a flash of movement caught his eye. His eyes had been inexplicably drawn down to the sight of Jason Walsh in a blue grey suit that fit him like a very fine glove. Phil's mouth went dry as Walsh stopped mid-stride, looked up, and unerringly met his eyes. He felt a shiver of anticipation when Jason's expression morphed from recognition to pleasure. Walsh's mouth slid into a lopsided grin as he lifted his champagne flute in salute. Phil's continued to watch the other man as he made his way across the floor, up the stairs, and stopped just outside of Phil's personal space. 

"Well hello, Agent Coulson," Jason nearly purred. "I must say I'm pleasantly surprised to find you here."

Phil straightened and turned to face Jason with a wry smile. "Working with a billionaire philanthropist has its drawbacks."

"I could say the same about rich partners that have a tendency to use me when trading favors," Jason replied and then winced. "That sounded a lot worse than I intended."

"There was a way _not_ to make that sound bad?" Phil asked. 

"Casey's second cousin or something manages a country club we needed access to. Apparently, she's always wanted to date beneath her station, so here I am," Walsh clarified with a small wave of his hand. The motion drew Phil's eyes down the other man's body and let him fully appreciate how good he looked in the blue suit. 

"But now it turns out my evening wasn't a total loss." Jason stepped a little closer and placed his hand on Phil's forearm where it was resting on the railing. Phil felt his heart rate pick up at the touch, but couldn’t keep himself from raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Is this a ploy to get rid of the cousin?" he asked.

Jason didn't pull away, but the pressure on Phil's arm increased a small amount. "No. I got rid of her fifteen minutes ago. I'd never do that. Do you always react to flirting with suspicion?"

"It doesn't happen often enough for my to have a standard reaction," Phil responded.

"I find that hard to believe. Don't tell me people actually fall for the bland accountant thing?"

Phil let himself smile. "It tends to work on most people."

"I'm not most people," Jason pointed out with a smirk.

"I'm starting to realize that, Detective Walsh."

Jason's smirk faded and his eyes narrowed. It was years of training that prevented Coulson from squirming under the man's gaze. Phil wondered if this was the same intense focus he gave to his cases.

"I have to tell you that I'm getting mixed signals here, Phil." Jason moved even more into Phil's personal space and his arm jumped under the detective's hand. "I haven't exactly been subtle and I get the vibe that you're definitely interested. So it makes me wonder why I haven't heard from you almost a month."

"I've been working," Phil replied automatically and waited for the detective to call him on the flimsy excuse, but the younger man only grinned.

"So you _are_ interested," Walsh confirmed. Phil had forgotten that the man was a seasoned interrogator and knew further response from him was not required. Jason leaned closer and let his breath ghost over Phil's ear. "What do you say we get out of here?"

Phil's brain didn't re-engage until Jason had him pressed against the wall of the diner and was kissing him breathless. His body was happily responding, but Coulson's mind kept going back to how men like Walsh shouldn't be interested men like Phil. Or how any kind of relationship with a job like his was doomed to fail.

Jason broke off to nuzzle a line down Phil's neck and groaned. "You're over-thinking again, Phil. I can almost hear the gears turning in your head." 

He pulled back further and braced his arms on either side of Phil's head. "Look. I don't know what else to say or do to show you that I'm really interested in this. That I'm interested in _you_. You've already done an extensive background check on me - I'm not trying to infiltrate SHIELD and I'm not an alien." 

"There's always mind control," Phil offered weakly.

Jason dropped his head onto Phil's shoulder. "You're killing me here, Coulson." 

The detective took a deep, shuddering breath and then stepped back, putting a few feet between them. Phil instantly missed how the other man had felt pressed against him.

"But I won't press this if you're not comfortable," Jason said and looked evenly at Phil. "I can call you a cab or we can take a nice, long walk in the cold to a café a few blocks from here.

"A café?" Phil asked.

"Yeah, you know, for coffee. Minimal horizontal surfaces, I promise." Jason shrugged and looked almost shy. "I like talking to you. It's like talking to another cop without all the baggage. So we can have coffee and talk and the night won't be a total loss."

Phil grabbed the lapels of Jason's coat and pulled him in for another kiss. They didn't go for coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the suit and the image of Walsh walking through the party, think of the scene from MI: Ghost Protocol. :-)
> 
> The part about having a job and being the job is pretty much a direct quote from "The Unusuals."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love you and I trust you with my life - all of it.

===== Present Day =====

Jason could feel himself floating toward consciousness. He could feel his body trying to keep him down in the painless bliss of nothingness, but there was a pressure on his hand and an insistent voice calling him to the surface. A voice he knew. A voice he cherished - Phil. Jason struggled against the weight of the drugs pulling him down. 

"Jason. I need you to wake up. I'm sorry, but I need you to wake up now."

Jason opened his eyes to see Phil's concerned face looking down at him. He could hear the steady beep of nearby machines and smell the tang of antiseptic. He was in a hospital.

"Phil," Jason croaked. 

"Hey," Phil smiled and put a small ice chip in his mouth. "We don't have much time. The doctors need to put you back under to let your body heal. What do you remember?"

Jason frowned and tried to claw through the haze in his mind. He remembered...the Apolo, everyone giving him shit about getting older, Phil calling and then...an explosion and watching the whole building go up in front of his eyes with everyone still inside. Oh my God - everyone inside!

Jason turned wide, questioning eyes toward Phil and the sorrow etched across his face. "Did anyone?"

"No," Phil shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Hot tears rolled down Jason's face as he closed his eyes. The sob which tore out of him sent a lance of pain through his body and he gasped. Phil's grip on his hand tightened and he could hear a sudden bustling of noise in the room.

"Not yet," Phil commanded and everything stilled. 

Jason focused on the familiar feel of Phil's hand around his. He used it to anchor himself and forced his body to relax. When some of the pain subsided, he opened his eyes and looked steadily at Phil. Jason couldn't quite read the mix of emotions on the agent's face.

"I don't have time to explain, but the people who destroyed the Apolo - it's an organization that won't stop and won't care who else they hurt. They'll keep going after you until they succeed or think they have." 

Phil hesitated and Jason turned his hand to interlock their fingers. "What are you trying to tell me, Phil?"

"We can make it look like nobody survived the blast. Make it look like you were inside during the explosion - that you died with everyone else. Jason, I need to know if you're willing to walk away from your life."

Jason turned his head away and stared at the ceiling. What Phil was asking him was...huge. It was almost too much to process. Could he willingly let people he cared about, who cared about him, think he was dead? Was there really anyone left after tonight? He wished his head was clearer for this. He wished he had more time, more information. All he did have...was Phil.

Jason turned his head back to look at Phil. "If you think it's the right thing to do."

"Jason…" Phil started to protest.

"No, Phil." Jason squeezed Phil's hand and bit back a groan of pain. "I trust you. I'm not in the best frame of mind and I don't have all the information. You do. I love you and I trust you with my life - all of it."

Phil looked awed. "Are you sure?"

"Always," responded Jason with no hesitation. 

The pain was starting to build again, but Jason waited for Phil to nod once before subsiding back against the pillows. He detachedly heard the beeping of his heart monitor increase as he fought against the rising tide of pain. The room erupted into a cacophony of noise and a flurry of activity. Jason was only aware of soft lips against his forehead and a whispered "I love you" before he slipped blissfully back into the dark. 

*****

The next time Jason woke, he was much more clear headed. The grief and guilt hit him immediately. There was a large part of him that wished he could just keep his eyes closed, but he knew that was a dangerous temptation. Jason felt gentle fingers run through his hair and it was enough motivation for him to open his eyes. Phil was here. He wasn't totally alone.

"Is it done?" Jason rasped.

"Yes," Phil responded as he turned to grab a glass of water. "Do you want to try sitting up?"

Jason nodded and noticed two things as Phil helped raise the bed into a sitting position. One, he felt more sore and less in blinding pain than he expected. It made him wonder how long he'd been sedated and whether Phil had been here the whole time. And two, Phil had yet to look him in the eye.

"Hey," Jason said and grabbed Phil's hands from where they had been futzing with the blanket. "Look at me."

He wasn't surprised to see the guilt reflected in the other man's eyes and sighed. "We're probably going to spend the next little bit of our lives trying to convince the other that none of this was our fault, so can we just come to grips with that now and be happy we're still here together?"

Jason leaned forward to press his forehead against Phil's and felt a shudder run through the older man. "I almost lost you. Please don't do that again."

"Says the man who got himself a nice scar over his heart before we even met," Jason replied. "There's a reason why I never watch the news about the Avengers, you know."

The corner of Phil's mouth twitched, so Jason considered it mission accomplished. He scooted over on the bed until Phil took the hint and sat next to him. Jason rested his head on Phil's shoulder and smiled when the other man automatically wrapped an arm around him. 

"They were after me, weren't they?" 

"Yes," Phil answered calmly and took Jason's hand with his free one. "It was a terrorist group called Hydra. We've been dealing with them since the forties."

"Why me?" Jason asked. He'd never heard of Hydra before and he hadn't been working on any cases that he could link to a terrorist cell.

"As far as we can gather, they're trying to take over organized crime in the largest port cities throughout the US. The bombing served both as a signal that they were here and as a means to get someone inside the Chief of Police's office."

There was only one connection between him and that office. He pulled back and looked at Phil in surprise. "They're after Alvarez?" Phil nodded. "It's because of that damn interview he did, isn't it?"

Eddie Alvarez, newly promoted to a high-level position in the Police Chief's office, had been interviewed by a local news station. In the interview, he'd called Jason the 'angel on his shoulder' and had pretty much given Walsh credit for his rise in the NYPD. Jason had gotten ribbed mercilessly for months about his bromance with Alvarez.

"That was a pretty ballsy move," commented Jason. "It could just as easily go against them if Eddie turns me into some sort of martyr - which is actually more likely."

Phil shrugged. "Hydra's not really known for being very deep in their thinking."

Jason put his head back down and tried not to think beyond this peaceful moment with Phil. He'd have plenty of time to think about what came next later.

"You'll have to come up with a new name," Phil pointed out casually. 

Jason grinned and was about to start throwing out outrageous names when there was a loud crash outside, followed by the sounds of a scuffle. 

"You should probably be prepared for some visitors," Phil warned a split-second before the entire Avengers team burst in and the arm around him tightened protectively.

The Avengers all stood frozen by the door and gaped in the direction of the bed. It was then that Jason realized the picture they made. Phil was down to just his dress shirt and slacks, with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows and his socked feet on top of the blanket. He'd seen the SHIELD agent in much more casual situations, but was willing to bet the Avengers hadn't. Add the fact that Jason was almost in Phil's lap and no wonder they looked shocked out of their minds.

After a long stretch of silence, the red-headed woman stepped toward the bed and held out her hand. 

"Hello. I'm Natasha Romanov. It's good to finally meet you."

"Likewise," Jason said and took her hand in a firm grip. A name came to the front of his mind and rolled naturally off his tongue. "I'm Clint Barton."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I believe that, with a job like mine and yours, any moment of any day could be my last. Hell, that's the same for everyone, really. It can be a bullet or an alien or a bus or a fucking brain tumor.

===== A year and 11 months ago =====

Jason slowly woke up to the feeling of Phil Coulson wrapped securely around him. He smiled. Phil had stayed. Jason turned around and found the agent's eyes already open. Phil gave him a small smile and Jason couldn't help his own goofy grin.

"You stayed."

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Were you not expecting me to?"

"You looked pretty ready to bolt last night," Jason reminded him.

"I'm not really the type of guy to sneak out in the middle of the night." Phil shifted so we was up on one elbow and looking down at Jason.

"See, that's the problem."

"What's the problem?" Phil asked when Jason didn't clarify his comment any further.

"You know everything about me and I know nothing about you. I don't know enough about you to tell whether you're a morning cuddler or a tiptoe out with your shoes kind of guy."

"I don't know everything about you," Phil said with a frown.

"That file you had a month ago was pretty extensive," Jason responded and tried not to wiggle uncomfortably in Phil's gaze. He wondered exactly how much information SHIELD had gathered on him.

"Having a file doesn't mean I know you," Phil said softly. Jason kept his hope at bay that Phil actually wanted to know him a little better. Coulson may not have been the type to sneak out in the middle of the night, but Jason was fairly certain he'd run screaming from the type of relationship Jason wanted to offer.

"Tell me something that wasn’t in the file," Phil prompted. 

Jason thought for a moment. He wasn't about to start spilling anything too personal just yet, but figured he'd offer Phil something hardly anyone knew about. 

"I was almost recruited into the Olympic Archery team," Jason finally offered. Phil looked at him skeptically and he grinned. 

"I was dating this guy back at NYU. He was on the archery team. One day, he convinces me to head down to archery range. I think he was trying to prove he was a real athlete or something. Anyway...he hands me his recurve and coaches me through a couple of practice shots before letting me take a shot of my own. He had a bunch of his archery buddies and one of the assistant coaches there to witness the baseball jock make a fool of himself."

"I'm going to assume that's not what happened."

"Hit the inner red on my first shot, gold on the second. Coach starts babbling about my being a 'natural marksman' and the Olympics, so I flubbed the next few shots to get the guy to shut up." Jason shook his head at the memory. "I broke it off with the archer for being such an ass about the whole thing."

"He called you a natural marksman?" Phil asked.

"Yeah. I thought it was bull mostly." Jason looked up at Phil and said something he'd never told anyone before. "But I did know what he meant. Picking up that bow felt right, you know? Different than when I swung my first bat or picked up a gun. More than natural - instinctual almost. Like it was an extension of me."

"And you weren't tempted by that?"

"Nah. I knew what I was. I was a ball player. Knew there was a hell of a lot more future in that than bows and arrows. It's nice knowing it's there though. If the whole cop thing doesn't work out, I could always join the circus. I have a stage name picked out and everything."

"Well I'm glad that didn't make it into your file," Phil said with a smile. "Fury was disappointed enough without knowing you're a natural marksman, even if it is with a bow."

"You got crap for not bringing me in?" Jason asked. He hadn't thought about how his denial had looked to others in SHIELD. 

"Not really, but it's rare for me to come back from a recruiting attempt empty handed." Phil looked nonchalant, but Jason could see enough how rare it was for Phil to fail at anything.

"I have to say you didn't try very hard," Jason pointed out. 

"It wasn't for lack of interest," Phil clarified and Jason couldn’t help smirking, which made the agent roll his eyes. "I've learned over the years to look for what a recruit's looking for - more money, reassurances, security, or, often times, just to have their ego stroked. You weren't looking for any of that. You wanted to stay a cop and you weren't looking for anything else."

"I know who I am," Jason said with a shrug. 

"And you're happy?" Phil asked, almost as if it was a foreign concept for him. Twenty-four hours ago, Jason would have said yes without hesitation. But now… 

"I could be happier," Jason responded with a soft smile and let some hope creep into his eyes. He shook his head in defeat when panic flashed in Phil's eyes. "And now you're ready to bolt again."

"Sorry," Phil sighed. He flopped back against the pillows and stared at the ceiling. The agent waved a hand between them. "I'm just not good at this."

"This?" Jason asked as he sat up to look down at the older man.

"Interpersonal relationships," Coulson responded and met Jason's eyes.

Jason looked down at him for a moment before he decided to go all-in. "I call bullshit."

Coulson raised an eyebrow in a silent challenge and didn't comment.

"I've done my own background check on you, Coulson," Jason confessed. 

"You know there are laws against stalking, don't you?" asked Phil blandly.

"I am aware," Jason replied, just as bland. "I couldn't really find much, which I expected, so I mostly had to piece it together. SHIELD makes a lot of press for a secret government agency." 

Phil looked intrigued, so Jason took that as a cue to continue. "You're one of the highest ranked SHIELD agents, _the_ highest in the field if you disregard titles and what not. Other agents automatically look to you for leadership and most follow direction without specific orders being voiced. That tells me that most of them had probably gone through the Phil Coulson school of how to be a good SHIELD agent."

Jason paused to look for any sign of acknowledgement from the agent, but Phil's expression didn't so much as flicker.

"You're also the main liaison to the Avengers team. A team which is made up of a National Icon, an egotistical billionaire, an actual god, a large rage monster, and a beautiful woman who looks scarily efficient at killing things. If you were really bad at interpersonal relationships, you wouldn't be a natural leader in the field and you'd be pretty shit at your job with the Avengers. So I don't buy it."

"Assuming anything you've just said is correct, and I'm not saying it is, then what are you proposing my problem actually is?" Phil delivered the question evenly, but Jason knew everything hinged on his response. 

"You've sacrificed having a life for your job." There was a barely-there widening of Phil's eyes and Jason knew he'd hit the bullseye. "I've seen it before. When you have a job that's so embroiled with life and death situations, it's easy to believe that any inattention is wrong. It starts off just being difficult to manage life and a job, but it eventually morphs to the point when you put everyone's lives, anyone's life, ahead of yours. It's not that you don't want a life outside of your job, it's that you don't think you deserve it." 

Jason wished he knew enough to read the expression on Phil's face. The man hadn't hit him and stormed off, but he hadn't spoken either. Jason could only assume Phil was actually contemplating the truth behind his words.

"And what do _you_ believe, Jason?" Phil finally asked.

"I believe that, with a job like mine and yours, any moment of any day could be my last. Hell, that's the same for everyone, really. It can be a bullet or an alien or a bus or a fucking brain tumor." Jason choked on his words and had to close his eyes against a sudden wave of grief because, yeah, that wound was still a little too fresh. He felt Phil's hand cup his face gently and he opened his eyes with a sad smile. "I can't forego a life just because I'm scared it will get taken away."

"How can you be so brave?" Phil asked and it forced a short, disbelieving laugh out of Jason.

"I'm not brave. I'm just stubborn. I may not be able to control how I get taken out of this life, but I'll be damned sure I decide how I live it. That's something else you need to know about me - that I can sometimes be a stubborn bastard. That's why…" Jason let his voice soften as he laid a tentative hand on the pink scar on Phil's chest and forced himself to ignore, for now, how the agent's heartbeat stuttered at his touch. "when I find something _real_ , I try and hold on, to cherish it, for as long as life will let me."

Jason pressed his hand harder against Phil's chest for a moment while trying to convey with his eyes how much he wanted this. He couldn't explain, even to himself, what it was about Phil Coulson that drew him in, but Jason knew with absolutely certainty that everything about this was right. It felt like his whole life had led him here and there was an ache deep in his chest that it could end up being just a brief memory. He dipped his head to kiss the inside of Phil's wrist, keeping his eyes down. 

"And if life decides to give me just one amazing night, then I have to accept that too."

Phil's hand shifted to cup Jason's jaw and turned his face back up. He still saw uncertainty in Phil's gaze, but there was something new that made a slow grin break across Jason's face. This was Coulson accepting a challenge and damn if he wasn't a stubborn bastard himself. 

"For as long as life will let us, huh?" Phil moved his hand to the back of Jason's neck and pulled him closer.

"That's the plan, Agent Coulson," Jason responded.

"I can get behind that, Detective Walsh." Jason's laugh was swallowed by Phil's kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who haven't seen The Unusuals...one of the other cops in the precinct (Delahoy) had a brain tumor that he refused to get treated. This unresolved as of the last episode.
> 
> And yes, throughout the series, Jason is portrayed as being extremely self-aware and very happy where he is.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Not that we're not thankful. We appreciate you saving the planet and all that. But ever since Stark rebuilt that tower, this city's been a target for every Tom, Dick, and villain that wants a crack at taking down the Avengers. We're all getting a little sick of constantly rebuilding."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took some artistic license on the setting and NYPD hierarchy to get this chapter out. Hopefully it's not too out there to be readable.

===== A year before the Apolo Explosion =====

Phil hadn't intentionally planned to keep his relationship with Jason a secret from SHIELD and the Avengers. Phil was just a very private man who didn't get much time off from work, so he tended to selfishly hoard what little time they got together. Phil had been introduced to the rest of the detectives in Walsh's precinct about 3 months in because Jason had gotten sick of Casey's continued attempts to throw random cousins at him. But aside from brief drop-ins at the Apolo, Jason seemed just as content to spend most of their downtime holed up at Jason's apartment. 

If Phil had taken the time to imagine how the two parts of his life would eventually intersect, it would have been running into one of the Avengers on the streets of New York. Not when the Avengers, Phil, and a large portion of SHIELD's forces were flying back from an op overseas, thirty minutes of full-throttle flight time away from the city, while a flock of mutant harpies were expected to make landfall in less than twenty.

The National Guard had not recovered from their base being decimated during the last attack by a super villain, so an all-hands call had been made to the NYPD. It never occurred to Phil to worry about Jason. The detective was more than capable and would be one of many officers at the scene. Coulson focused instead on setting up a long-range command center from within the quinjet. He was only half paying attention when Sitwell's annoyed voice came over the comm a few minutes later. 

"What the hell is going on here? We asked you to set up behind the warehouses."

The next voice heard over the comm got Phil's full attention. "Yeah, that's not happening." Walsh.

"The plan is to use these warehouses to break the first wave of attack. Implode them, if we have to. It should slow them down enough until the Avengers arrive. I need all of you back at the assigned perimeter," Sitwell commanded.

Phil signaled one of the techs and a visual of the confrontation came up on screen. The camera was a fair distance away, but Phil could make out Walsh leaning casually against a concrete barricade, Sitwell standing stiffly next to him, and what looked the rest of the 2nd and a few SWAT officers watching the exchange.

"Like I said," Jason drawled. "That's not going to happen."

"The mayor -" Sitwell started.

"The mayor and the city council decided they'd prefer to keep these warehouses intact," Walsh interrupted as he straightened away from the barrier. "Can I ask you a question, Agent…"

Phil recognized it as it Jason's I'll-use-small-words-so-you'll-understand voice and bit back a smile.

"Sitwell."

"Where do you live, Agent Sitwell?" Jason asked.

"I don't understand what that -" Sitwell started to protest.

"Hear him out," Phil ordered and tried to tell himself he would have made the same call if it had been any other NYPD officer going toe-to-toe with a senior SHIELD agent.

"DC." Sitwell answered. "I live in DC."

"Well, Agent Sitwell, since you're not from around here, I'm going to cut you some slack and assume you don't know how much of the city's industry is tied to these warehouses. That you don't know how many people's jobs would be affected if you decided to implode them."

The silence that followed was answer enough, so Jason continued knowing he had Sitwell's attention now.

"Not that we're not thankful. We appreciate you saving the planet and all that. But ever since Stark rebuilt that tower, this city's been a target for every Tom, Dick, and villain that wants a crack at taking down the Avengers. We're all getting a little sick of constantly rebuilding."

Every eye on the quinjet turned to Tony who tried to look apologetic and shrugged.

"I know you have a job to do, Agent Sitwell. But so do we. Our job is to protect and serve the people and the city of New York. That includes those warehouses, so we're staying put."

"Leave them be, Sitwell," cut in Fury from his vantage point from SHIELD HQ. Phil almost sagged in relief at not having to make the call himself, more than a little proud of Jason for standing his ground.

"Okay, detective, you win. You in charge around here?" Sitwell asked.

"What, me? No." Jason responded only to be shouted over by a chorus of "yeah", "hell yes", and "he's your man" from the others assembled.

"Guys, I'm not…" Jason started to protest.

"Come on, Walsh," a voice cut in that Phil thought was Banks. "Even you can't be happy with who the Chief sent over. You really expect anyone to listen to Monroe?"

The camera feed showed a line of NYPD cruisers interspersed with SWAT trucks along the docks. Phil watched as the officers and Sitwell turned toward a nearby vehicle. Hunched against the cruiser was a man who looked to be hyperventilating in to a paper bag. 

"No way," said a voice that Phil didn't recognize. He assumed it was the SWAT officer talking. "Welcome to field command, Walsh. Where do you want us?" he asked as he handed Jason a rifle. 

"Fuck me," Jason swore as grabbed the rifle and took a deep breath. "I want a couple shooters on top of the trucks and the rest up on the rooftops. Get your birds in the air, but keep them back out of harms way. We don't need one of those crashing on top of our heads if they get hit."

The man took off and Walsh turned to his fellow detectives. "Banks, Cole - head down and space yourselves down the line. You're my eyes and ears, so keep your radios close and don't be afraid to call for help. Shraeger - you're here. Try to do something with Monroe, will you?"

Shraeger groaned. "Why do I always get the shit jobs?" she asked as Cole and Banks took off jogging. Jason started to walk away, but Sitwell stopped to hand him an earpiece.

"This will patch you in to command," Sitwell explained. "We'll spread ourselves among your men. Good luck." 

"You too," Jason responded as he put in the earpiece. "Hello?"

"Hello Detective Walsh. This is Agent Coulson," Phil replied. 

Jason didn't falter as he walked toward a SWAT truck a few vehicles down. "Coulson. You keep those two perps on ice like I asked?"

"They'll never see another free day," Phil responded. They had an unspoken rule about avoiding work talk when they were together, so this was the first time Jason had ever posed the question. 

"Good to know. You got something for me?"

"Hostiles should make land in less than five minutes. We've got eyes up high and long-range sensor in play to let you know in advance if we see any formation changes."

"Formations?" Jason asked. "Are you telling me these things are capable of high-level, strategic thinking?"

"We're not sure, detective," Phil responded honestly. "We've never encountered these things before and are not fully aware of their capabilities."

"That's just great," Jason muttered before he started giving new orders into his other radio.

Phil partially tuned him out as he walked over to Bruce who was studying what the long-range sensors had picked up. Before Coulson could ask the doctor any questions, a comment from Steve had Phil turning back to the main display.

"Well...he certainly is brave."

On screen, the NYPD assembled en-masse made for a formidable sight. Behind every cruiser, truck, and barricade were several officers all with their guns drawn. SWAT snipers could be seen laying on top of several trucks and along the rooftops, with SWAT helicopters hovering overhead. In the middle of it all was Jason Walsh, standing tall and proud on top of a SWAT truck with his rifle leaning casually against one shoulder. He'd taken off his NYPD issued jacket and the sleeves of his white dress shirt were startlingly bright against his bulletproof vest, a sharp contrast to the men and women in blue and black around him. Walsh had effectively made himself a focal point for the coming attack. It was only decades of SHIELD training that kept Phil from swooning underneath the tide of love, lust, and fear the sight provoked. 

"Hostiles a minute out and closing fast," came the update from a tech over the open comm.

"Copy," replied Jason calmly. "Alright Blue...let's show them a New York welcome." 

Phil watched the screen as Jason rolled his shoulders, widened his stance, and brought the rifle up to shooting position. The silence was absolute as Walsh waited a beat and then two. Phil saw several techs jump as a gunshot echoed through the comm. A harpy fell out of the sky. There was a collective shriek from the rest of the flock that was followed by a barrage of gunfire. The fight was on.

*****

The battle was fast and fierce. It turned out that the harpies didn't employ any tactical strategies except to throw themselves in wave after wave into the NYPD's hail of bullets. Most of the harpies were taken out over the water and the few which made it into the NYPD ranks were quickly disposed off. Unsurprisingly, most of these attacks had been focused on Walsh's position. While the detective looked a little worse for wear, none of the harpies had come close to shaking the detective off his perch.

There had been no casualties and only a few serious injuries. Thor's arrival in advance of the quinjet had taken out the last of the harpy flock. None of the other Avengers had been required on site. Iron Man had sulked back to the Tower, complaining about not being invited to the party, while the others and Phil had flown directly to SHIELD HQ. Only Steve had opted to drive with Coulson over to the site of the battle and that was only to shake hands with the brave officers who had done an admirable job protecting what he still considered was 'his city'.

Phil was hoping to use the distraction of Captain America's visit to seek out Jason in the medical tent, but was waylaid by Sitwell and dragged to the SHIELD mobile command vehicle. The other agents inside exited the vehicle as Fury and Hill's images came up on screen.

"Walsh," Fury said without preamble. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"We tried to recruit him about a year back," Coulson replied. "He declined."

"The incident with the two Hydra goons?" Fury asked after a moment of thought. 

Phil nodded. He was a little surprised that Fury had remembered. Then again, both goons had been enhanced and Jason not only managed to chase them down, but held his own against one in hand-to-hand combat. 

"Sitwell?" Hill prompted.

"For someone who didn't want command, Walsh was damn good at it," Sitwell assessed. "Issued orders and shored up weaknesses like it was second nature. Most of that was without assistance from command's better view of the situation. And I'd need to go back over the recording to confirm, but I can almost guarantee that every bullet Walsh fired was a kill shot."

"Coulson?" Phil could almost see Fury mentally rubbing his hands together - eager with the possibility of getting an agent with this much potential.

"No, sir," Phil responded with a shake of his head. "He's a cop first and foremost. Walsh has declined several promotions that may have taken him out of the field. His response a year ago was that he was more than happy to stay where he was. I don't expect that response to change even after today."

"We don't see individuals of this caliber often," reminded Fury. "How sure are you of your assessment?"

This was the proverbial moment of truth. "Considering that I've been sleeping with him for almost a year, I'd say I'm 100% sure of my assessment, sir."

Phil felt a small measure of satisfaction as Sitwell choked on the sip of coffee he'd just taken and Hill openly gaped. Fury's only reaction was a minute twitch in his good eye. 

"We ran into each other about a month after my recruiting attempt and have been in an ongoing relationship since," Phil continued. "I'm going to very disappointed if all of you failed to notice the change in my demeanor or the shift in my downtime habits over the past year."

Nick's mouth twitched, Maria looked down, and Sitwell fidgeted guiltily. Coulson knew very well that there were several betting pools on exactly what had softened the edges of SHIELD's most formidable agent. Phil had never attempted to hide how relaxed he felt after a few days with Jason or how just thinking of the detective made him smile. But he had never volunteered an explanation and nobody had thought to just ask.

"Is this relationship meant to be classified?" Fury asked and Phil remembered that Fury was his friend as well as his superior.

"Not intended to be, sir," Coulson replied with a shrug. He'd still prefer to keep his private life private, but he had no desire to purposely hide his relationship with Jason. "And I won't use my relationship with him as leverage."

"I had no plans on asking you to," responded Fury. "But if he ever expresses a desire to…"

"I will give you the opportunity to send another agent to make a second attempt at recruitment." 

"And if we wanted to convey our thanks for his help today?" Fury asked. 

"You could give me the rest of tonight off and approve the vacation time I requested, sir," Phil answered with no embarrassment.

"Done. He did great work out there," Fury praised. 

"Thank you, sir. I'll let him know." 

Phil turned to leave and was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to hear Hill's last comment as the door closed behind him. 

"Competent, intelligent, lethal, and declining promotions to stay in the field? I'd say _I_ was falling in love, but that would be too much like dating Coulson."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Clint," Phil said. "Clinton Francis Barton." It didn't feel as foreign as Phil had expected. 
> 
> Clint smiled and kissed Phil's jaw. "That's the first time you've said it."
> 
> "He wasn't you until now," Phil pointed out.

===== Two weeks after the Apolo explosion ===== 

"Detective Alvarez?" Phil asked as he stepped quietly into the man's office. The detective had clearly been crying and Phil was a little surprised that the man did nothing but make a cursory swipe at his nose with a tissue. 

"May I help you?" asked the detective.

"I'm Phil Coulson. I was hoping to speak with you before the service." Phil watched as the other man frowned in thought.

"Coulson? Phil. You're...you're Jason's Phil!" Alvarez stood and Phil suddenly found himself engulfed in a fierce hug. His entire body went rigid in shock, but didn't think the other man noticed because he was busy sobbing against Phil's shoulder. 

"Oh my god. I am so sorry...so sorry for your loss. He loved you so much. I'd never seen him so happy." 

Alvarez continued to babble almost incoherently as Phil gently extracted himself out the other man's arms. He thought back to how he had felt while waiting for news of Jason's injuries and let some of the emotion show in his eyes as he placed his hands on Alvarez's shoulders.

"I loved him too," Phil said softly. He continued as the detective tried to pull himself together. "I wish I could be a the memorial, but...it would be a little too public for my line of work."

Alvarez nodded and Phil dropped his hands. He took a step back and started to reach into the inner pocket of his jacket. "There's something Jason wanted you to have."

The Avengers had still been introducing themselves to Jason when Phil had gotten the call from the NYPD informing him of the bombing. They had offered their condolences and apologized for not notifying him in person. They also told Phil that Jason had named him the sole executor and recipient of his will. Jason had left Phil everything. Phil would have been stunned, except he'd completed his own corresponding paperwork with SHIELD months before. At least it had made the transfer of Jason's belongings to the Tower much simpler. 

Phil handed Alvarez a New York Yankees trading card from Jason's second year in the majors. The detective choked back another sob and leaned against his desk when he read the inscription. "To Eddie, The best cop I know. ~Jason Walsh"

Phil had his own, much rarer, card from Jason's rookie year, tucked in his own wallet. Jason had rolled his eyes and called Phil a creeper when he'd found it through a broker he typically used to find Captain America cards. But the detective had blushed, clearly pleased, as he'd autographed it. Phil then had R&D seal it in an experimental, ultra-light, bulletproof material - Fury hadn't dared to decline the request.

"I...this is...thank you." Alvarez brushed his fingers reverently over the card. Phil watched as a look of fierce determination stole across the detective's face. "We won't let them get away with this."

"I know you won't," Phil said. Satisfied he'd accomplished his task, the agent clasped Alvarez on the shoulder and left.

Phil arrived at the Tower to find Bruce, Thor, Natasha, and Tony standing in the living room watching the video feed from the memorial which would be starting in a few minutes. The Captain and Pepper were there in person and could be seen mingling with the grieving families. Phil noted that the gathered Avengers were also dressed as if they were attending the service in person, a sentiment that he knew Jason would appreciate. 

Jason had moved into the Tower three days after the bombing, after the doctors had confirmed there were no adverse side effects of the Treatment on the detective. Jason had slid smoothly into life at the Tower. Being a born and bred New Yorker meant he matched Tony snark-for-snark. Steve and Jason had bonded over baseball and their love of the city. Thor loved everyone and Jason hadn't blinked at the god's tendency to wear full armor or next to nothing at all. Bruce had managed to keep a distance until the day of the lab accident. The Avengers and Phil had rushed back to find Hulk and Jason calmly sharing a box of doughnuts. The only comment Jason had made about it had been directed at Stark.

"Say one thing about cops and doughnuts and a tazer will be the least of your problems."

What had been most surprising was the developing relationship between Jason and Natasha. There was an immediate connection and comfort in each other's space that would have made lesser men jealous. Phil Coulson was not a lesser man. He could see that it was not romantic or sexual in any way, but a deeper than siblings like trust that would benefit them both. It wasn't until later, when Phil saw them training together in the combat room that he fully understood. They were like dancers - beautiful and graceful on their own, but together with the implicit trust in one another, they were magnificent. 

Phil was suddenly pulled from his thoughts by a shockingly crass comment from Stark. "Isn't it a little creepy to be watching your own memorial?"

Four sets of outraged eyes snapped to Tony, who himself looked shocked at his own inability to think before speaking. 

"It's not just my memorial, Stark. Have some respect." 

Stark flinched and everyone turned to find Jason standing in the back of the room wearing his NYPD dress uniform. His eyes were as cold as the voice which had delivered the reprimand. His jaw and gloved fists were clenched. Phil had a second to realize he'd never seen his lover this angry, before Jason closed his eyes and visibly relaxed.

Jason opened his eyes and looked at Stark calmly. "Thank you for setting up the cameras and the video feed."

"Um...no problem. Look, I'm sorry about -" Tony started to apologize, but Jason cut him off as he moved to sit on the couch.

"Don't worry about it. You can send doughnuts to all the precincts in the morning for being an idiot." 

It seemed Jason already understood that Stark's tendency for verbal diarrhea was rarely done with malice, but that the billionaire would need some way to try and make amends. Phil could almost see everyone's opinion of Walsh ratchet up one more notch. 

Jason sat on the couch throughout the ceremony, with Phil on one side and Natasha on the other. Nobody mentioned the silent tears that stained his cheeks or that he'd needed Phil's hand on his thigh to keep him in place while he was eulogized by Alvarez. Steve, in an updated version of his army dress uniform, was the last to speak - praising the officers for their sacrifice and urging those who remained to continue their work. Stark cut the feed at the end of the ceremony and Jason bowed his head for a moment before silently leaving the room.

Phil knew Jason would need some time on his own, so he waited about an hour until Steve and Pepper returned to the Tower before seeking him out. Phil found Jason in their room leaning against the desk and looking down at a stack of papers. Jason had already changed into jeans and one of his favorite flannel shirts. Phil could see his dress uniform folded neatly in a box along with other items from Jason's old life that would end up in storage. 

He walked up to the desk and placed a comforting hand on Jason's back as he looked over the younger man's shoulder. Phil had brought the forms in earlier that week. They were the last step in ending one life and beginning another. All that was required was a signature. Jason placed his hand over Phil's where it rested on the desk and signed the last page.

"Clint," Phil said. "Clinton Francis Barton." It didn't feel as foreign as Phil had expected. 

Clint smiled and kissed Phil's jaw. "That's the first time you've said it."

"He wasn't you until now," Phil pointed out.

Clint laughed and turned to wrap his arms around Phil. "Thanks for sneaking the middle name in there, by the way. My mom...uh...Frances Walsh would have loved you, Phil."

"I wish I could have met her, too," Phil replied and gave Clint a soft kiss before pulling away slightly. "Fury wants you to come up to the helicarrier next week to sign your SHIELD paperwork."

Clint's mouth twisted in distaste. Both of them had bristled at Clint being assigned to the helicarrier and under Hill's command, even if it had been the most logical option. Living in the Tower or SHIELD HQ weren't viable choices. The helicarrier was the most controlled environment for someone who needed to keep a low profile and he'd still be allowed to spend his downtime at the Tower with Phil. 

"Oh, I almost forgot," Clint said with a grin. "Simmons offered to have your babies. Said he'd figure out a way if that's what you wanted as a sign of his utter devotion and gratitude. I haven't decided if I'm jealous or resentful because shouldn't he be offering to have _my_ babies?"

Phil laughed as he stepped away to change into his own, more comfortable clothing. Clint had gone in to SHIELD HQ earlier that day to meet with the range master. Simmons had called Phil to rave about Clint's natural ability and went on and on about how he could be trained to be the world's greatest marksman. Phil had suggested he find Clint a bow and then left his office to fight mid-morning traffic for his meeting with Alvarez. He could only assume they'd found a bow.

"I'd really prefer not to think of Simmons having anyone's babies, thank you," Phil responded and pulled on one of Clint's old Yankees sweatshirts. 

"Good point."

"Come on," Phil prodded. "Pepper and Steve brought dinner back with them. We should grab some before Thor inhales it all."

Clint stepped in front of Phil and grabbed his hand. "Before we go, there's one more thing I need to ask you..."

*****

A week later, they were in Fury's office and Clint was signing another set of papers. Fury stood and held out his hand for the other man to shake.

"Welcome to SHIELD, Agent Barton."

Clint winked at Phil before he corrected Fury. "It's Barton-Coulson, sir."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Six weeks," repeated Clint over the comm. "I have _plans_ , Coulson. And I'd really appreciate it if you were alive to enjoy them."
> 
> Phil hadn't thought, until that moment, that it was possible to fall more in love with his husband.

===== A year and two weeks after the Apolo Explosion ===== 

Agent Coulson was not in the mood for this today. He stood up from his crouch behind a car and shot two more bipedal gerbils in the face. He ducked back down as some of the other mutated rodents retaliated by firing lasers out of their eyes at his position. It looked like only have few of the gerbils had the laser capability, so he'd been focusing primarily on them. Phil reloaded and let the other SHIELD agents fire off the next volley of bullets at the large balls of fur surrounding them. At least the civilians trapped behind them had stopped screaming. That had been extremely annoying and Phil really was not in the mood for this today.

Phil had not seen his husband for six weeks and had not talked to him in the last three. Two weeks ago, on the anniversary of the bombing, he'd gotten a short communique from Sitwell telling him that Jason was doing 'okay'. When his birthday greeting got bounced back a week later, Phil threw his dignity out the window and filed a change of residence form. If Clint couldn't live in the Tower, then SHIELD and the Avengers would just have to deal with Phil living on the helicarrier. 

He stood again and got five more this time, but Phil knew they were just barely keeping the gerbils from rushing the barricade of cars - he was going to be seriously pissed if one of the civilians was carrying some sort of gerbil catnip. Because _six weeks_ and it was their anniversary and Phil had just gotten the call that his husband was on a transport to New York from the helicarrier when these gerbils started showing up. He had a cake from Clint's favorite bakery and orders to JARVIS that they were not to be disturbed for anything less than the sun going supernova. Phil had _PLANS_ , damn it, and he really, really was not in the mood for this today. 

Phil wasn't sure if his frustration was showing on his face or if he'd been grinding his teeth loud enough to be heard, but the other SHIELD agents were now looking at him with more fear than they were directing at the monster gerbils. Phil was so busy trying to rein himself in that he didn't hear the helicopter overhead until an impossible number of arrows suddenly took out a large group of gerbils. To their credit, the other agents and Phil automatically jumped up to take out another group before incendiary arrows rained down on the rest. 

"You're clear for evac," came a very familiar voice over the comm.

Phil looked up to see a SHIELD helicopter overhead with Clint leaning almost all the way out of the side. From what Phil could see, Sitwell's grip on the back of his tac vest was the only thing keeping his husband from falling.

"What do you think you're doing, Hawkeye?" asked Phil as calmly as he could.

"Saving your ass. What does it look like I'm doing?" Clint responded before he let Sitwell pull him back inside the helicopter. "Have them put me down on that roof three buildings over."

"Negative," Phil countered. "Return to HQ."

"With all due respect, sir, but no way in hell is that going to happen. Sitwell?"

"Fury cleared it," replied Clint's handler. "Sorry, Coulson."

Phil watched the helicopter move out and turned to head back to the mobile command center he'd left earlier to protect the trapped civilians. "This is not keeping a low profile, Hawkeye."

"Low profile can suck it," Clint replied. Phil heard Sitwell choke off a laugh followed by the sound of Barton hitting the roof and the helicopter leaving. Phil figured it would be another ten minutes before Jasper showed up at the command center and then they'd need a discussion about handlers not bowing to their asset's every whim. 

"Six weeks, sir," his husband continued before calling out a warning. "Four at you eight o'clock, Cap."

There was the sound of one, two, three arrows releasing and then Steve responding with a grunt as he released his shield. "Thanks for the backup, Hawkeye."

"Widow's coming in at your nine with two in pursuit. I don't have a clear line."

"Widow, duck," ordered Steve just as Phil moved in front of the monitors. He watched Natasha drop as Cap's shield took out the two gerbils while Clint's arrows took out the two who tried to jump at Steve while his back was turned.

"Six weeks," repeated Clint over the comm. "I have _plans_ , Coulson. And I'd really appreciate it if you were alive to enjoy them."

Phil hadn't thought, until that moment, that it was possible to fall more in love with his husband. 

"TMI!" yelled Stark. "I don't want to hear anything about your plans, Barton!"

"Get your shiny red ass in gear and you won't have to," came the retort. "Herd yours toward Park and you can meet up with the bunch Thor's chasing. Should be easy to take them out in the crossfire. Where's Hulk?"

"Bruce went to that conference in San Diego," reminded Natasha. 

"Oh, I forgot. Worried for a sec."

"I'd be worried about there being more of these thing now than when we started," said Tony. 

"Agent Coulson. Can you see where these things are coming from?" asked Cap.

"Negative," responded Phil. "We're not seeing anything that could be the source."

"Huh," said Clint. "Think it could be the kid with the glowing hands in Central Park?"

"I will investigate," called out Thor.

"How the hell can you see that?" asked Tony. "You're a freak of nature, man."

"That's a compliment coming from you, Stark."

"He is definitely the source," reported Thor. "There will be no additional creatures."

"Okay," said Cap. "Let's get this done."

Phil tuned out the sounds of the remaining battle as Sitwell walked into command. The other agent held up a hand before Coulson could open his mouth.

"We all know what today is, Phil. Even Fury knew better than to argue."

Phil decided to salvage what remained of his professional reputation and drove back to the Tower to wait for his husband to come home. 

*****

Phil and Clint didn't re-surface until almost lunch the next day. Clint pointedly ignored Tony's smirk as he walked into the living room. The large screen was broken up into multiple news feeds, all running stories about the Avenger's new mystery archer, Hawkeye.

"I don't care what you say, Nat. I still think that 'The Amazing Hawkeye' would have been a great circus act," said Clint as he slung an arm around Natasha's shoulder. 

"You've been missed," was her only reply as she kissed his cheek. 

Clint froze when he noticed that Alvarez was being interviewed on one of the local news stations. 

"It's a replay," Natasha said when she felt Clint stiffen. "He doesn't know. He just gave the usual spiel about the NYPD being glad of the help."

"Seriously?" Clint asked. He watched as several camera and video shots of him flashed across the screen. He had been wearing the protective glasses that went with his field uniform, but his face was clearly visible.

"Don't be so surprised," offered Stark from the couch. "At least your glasses are tinted. Kent's are clear and Metropolis still has no freaking clue who he is."

"I think people prefer not knowing who their heroes are," said Steve. 

"I guess it's hard to keep them on a pedestal when they're next to you in line at Starbucks," mused Clint. "How many 'Hunger Games' references have there been?"

"Later," Phil deflected as he walked in the room. He was shrugging on his jacket with his tie still loose around his neck. Clint automatically moved to tie it for him. Phil gave him a soft smile. "I am capable of tying my own tie, you know."

"I'm aware," Clint replied and kept working at the half Windsor. 

"Fury wants to see us at HQ in an hour," Phil said and looked up at the room at large. "All of us."

Everyone drove over to HQ together, which was the only way to assure that Stark showed up on time. They were surprised to find Bruce already in the conference room and watching Hawkeye footage on his tablet. There were boisterous greeting all around as they settled into their seats.

Hill and Sitwell walked in ahead of Fury and took seats at the back of the room. Fury remained standing and handed Phil a piece of paper.

"Your request for change of residence has been denied, Agent Coulson."

Clint looked at his husband in confusion. Phil scowled and started to protest. "Director Fury -"

Fury held up a hand. "If you give me a moment, agent."

Phil's scowl deepened, but he remained quiet.

"Based on the most recent developments, I feel it is in SHIELD's best interest for Agent Barton to be reassigned."

Everyone leaned forward in their seats as Fury paused dramatically.

"You're now an Avenger, Hawkeye. Welcome back to New York."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A year of SHIELD ops and six weeks without seeing his husband apparently makes Jason sound a lot more like Clint in my head.
> 
> This has been amazingly fun to write. Hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
